Page 306 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

284 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
There is very little that Maine needs in the line of new legislation, or betterprotectiontohergame. Withtheenactmentofaresidentlicense law and a five-year close season for woodcock, plover, snipe and sand- pipers, I think her laws for the protection of wild life would be sufficiently perfect for all practical purposes. The Pine-Tree State is to be con- gratulated upon its wise and efficient handling of the wild-life situation.
Maryland:
How has it come to pass that Maryland lacks more good wild-life laws than any other state in the Union except North Carolina ? Of the really fundamental protective laws, embracing the list that to every self- respecting state seems indispensable, Maryland has almost none save certain bag-limit laws! Otherwise, the state is wide open! It is indeed high time that she should abandon her present attitude of hostility to wild life, and become a good neighbor. She should do what is fair and right about the protection of the migratory game and bird life that an- nually passes twice through her territory!
At the last session of the Maryland legislature, the law preventing the use of power boats in wild-fowl shooting was repealed. That was a step ten years backward ; and Maryland should be ashamed of it I
The list of things that Maryland must do in order to clear her record isalongone. Hereitis:
Local regulations should be replaced by a uniform state law.
The sale of all native wild game should be stopped.
Spring and late winter shooting of game should be stopped.
All non-game birds not already included under the statutes should be protected.
The exportation of all game should be prohibited, unless accompanied by the man who shot it, bearing his license, and the law should be state- wide instead of depending upon a separate enactment for each county.
There should be a hunter's license law for all who hunt.
The use of machine shotguns in hunting should be stopped, at once. Stop the use of power boats in wild-fowl shooting.
Massachusetts :
In 1912 the state of Massachusetts moved up into the foremost rank ofstates,whereforoneyearNewYorkhadstoodalone. Shepasseda counterpart of the New York law, absolutely prohibiting the sale of all wild American game in Massachusetts, but providing for the sale of game that has been reared in preserves and tagged by state officers. This victory was achieved only after three months of hard fighting. The coalition of sportsmen, zoologists and friends of wild life in general proved irresistible, just as a similar union of forces accomplished the BaynelawinNewYorkin1911. Thevictoryishighlyinstructive,as great victories usually are. It proves once more that whenever the American people can be aroused from their normal apathy regarding wild life, any good conservation legislation can be enacted! The prime necessities to success are good measures, good management, a reasonable